Finding a Local Church
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There are a lot of choices when it comes to finding a Christian church. There are differences between denominations (Lutheran, Baptist, Evangelical, Covenant, etc.) but the most important factor is a church's belief that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, was God's Son (both fully God and fully man), died on the cross (was crucified), came back to life (was resurrected), ascended to Heaven where He now rules at the right hand side of God, and will return again. All of these are clear in the Bible, God's Word, which should be the foundational truth a church bases its beliefs and practices upon.
The Catholic church uses a different Bible, which includes additional books that were not accepted as part of the inerrant Word of God by the rest of the Christian (Protestant) Churches. If you would like to know more about this, feel free to do some research. As the site is just being set up, we don't have links or articles on all of these matters yet, but the information is out there for those who seek it.
Click HERE to go to a website with a directory to churches of the United States and Canada. This website will help you locate the churches in your area, but will not assist you in choosing which church would be a good fit for you--more on that topic to come.
A couple of church's I would recommend (if you just don't know where to start) would be the Shepherd's Fold Baptist Church in Hutchinson, MN, the Buffalo (Evangelical) Covenant Church in Buffalo, MN, and the Berean Bible Baptist Church in Hastings, MN. Pastor Brad Brandon of Berean Bible Baptist Church hosts Word of Truth Radio Show on KKMS AM980 where he addresses some controversial/hot topics in an outspoken, but Biblically sound, manner.
The Catholic church uses a different Bible, which includes additional books that were not accepted as part of the inerrant Word of God by the rest of the Christian (Protestant) Churches. If you would like to know more about this, feel free to do some research. As the site is just being set up, we don't have links or articles on all of these matters yet, but the information is out there for those who seek it.
Click HERE to go to a website with a directory to churches of the United States and Canada. This website will help you locate the churches in your area, but will not assist you in choosing which church would be a good fit for you--more on that topic to come.
A couple of church's I would recommend (if you just don't know where to start) would be the Shepherd's Fold Baptist Church in Hutchinson, MN, the Buffalo (Evangelical) Covenant Church in Buffalo, MN, and the Berean Bible Baptist Church in Hastings, MN. Pastor Brad Brandon of Berean Bible Baptist Church hosts Word of Truth Radio Show on KKMS AM980 where he addresses some controversial/hot topics in an outspoken, but Biblically sound, manner.
Attending Church: What to Expect
_During the service, everyone may stand in
observance of a time of worship, prayer or Scripture (Bible verses)
being read, but don't worry, typically whoever is speaking will cue
everyone to "rise" and "be seated" at the appropriate times. Words for
worships songs or prayers are usually displayed via projector or printed
in hymnals which will be accessible to you. If you don't' feel
comfortable singing or praying at your first (or subsequent visits),
don't worry about it, just enjoy listening to everyone else.
During most church services there is a time of "offering" during which a basket or tray is passed through the congregation and individuals may place a monetary donation for the church use in it as it passes by them. Checks are typically folded in half for privacy, some churches provide envelopes for this purpose. Do not feel obligated to give when you are a guest, but do not take offense to the fact that offering is part of a church service. There is a common belief that churches "are just after your money," and while I disagree that every church is this way, I acknowledge that some may very well be. Keep in mind that offering (or fundraisers or private donations) are the only way a church gains income. The church has a water bill and electric bill, etc. to pay and it is their responsibility to do so. Funds given to the church also go to help the ministries the church has (ex: buying craft supplies for the Sunday school classes or sending money to overseas missionaries, etc.) and to pay any employees of the church (although many churches have staff of unpaid volunteers for most positions other than pastors).
During most church services there is a time of "offering" during which a basket or tray is passed through the congregation and individuals may place a monetary donation for the church use in it as it passes by them. Checks are typically folded in half for privacy, some churches provide envelopes for this purpose. Do not feel obligated to give when you are a guest, but do not take offense to the fact that offering is part of a church service. There is a common belief that churches "are just after your money," and while I disagree that every church is this way, I acknowledge that some may very well be. Keep in mind that offering (or fundraisers or private donations) are the only way a church gains income. The church has a water bill and electric bill, etc. to pay and it is their responsibility to do so. Funds given to the church also go to help the ministries the church has (ex: buying craft supplies for the Sunday school classes or sending money to overseas missionaries, etc.) and to pay any employees of the church (although many churches have staff of unpaid volunteers for most positions other than pastors).
One thing that is good to do on your first visit is to get a program/bulletin (most churches make a new one for each service & hand them to you upon entering). You can use it to jot down any questions or notes that you have. This way, if you are visiting multiple churches in the area, you can keep the bulletins to keep track of what your impressions were of each one so you know which ones you'd prefer to go back to another time. The most important thing I can tell you about trying to find a church is to remember that no church is perfect- it is made up of people and people aren't perfect.
If there is a particular aspect of a church or sermon that you dislike, give the church another chance (or a few more chances) before making a solid decision. If a church seems to believe and preach something that contradicts what the Bible says, you can ask the Pastor for clarification on where the church stands on the matter, and if they disagree with, disregard, or modify what the Bible says to fit their own agenda, then this is NOT the church for you.
If there is a particular aspect of a church or sermon that you dislike, give the church another chance (or a few more chances) before making a solid decision. If a church seems to believe and preach something that contradicts what the Bible says, you can ask the Pastor for clarification on where the church stands on the matter, and if they disagree with, disregard, or modify what the Bible says to fit their own agenda, then this is NOT the church for you.